Sally Zaiser:

An Inventory of Her Collection of John Howell Books at the Harry Ransom
Center

Creator:

Zaiser, Sally, 1917-1993

Title:

Sally Zaiser Collection of John Howell
Books

Dates:

1874-1986

Extent:

4 document boxes, 1 oversize box (3.36 linear feet)

Abstract:

The Sally Zaiser Collection of John
Howell Books, 1874-1986, documents the personal and public life of the owners
of
John Howell Books. Included in the collection are personal items related to John
and
Warren Howell; correspondence to Sally Zaiser about Warren Howell's illness and
death; book awards, news clippings, and other memorabilia pertinent to rare book
collecting; unbound manuscripts and printer's proofs; publishing announcements;
and
financial records.

Sally Zaiser (1917-1993) began working as an accountant for publisher and rare book
dealer John Howell Books in 1967, becoming Secretary-Treasurer of the company
in
1985. Founded by John Howell in San Francisco, California, in October 1912, John
Howell Books initially specialized in "fine and rare
books," expanding into publishing the following year. As a publisher, John
Howell Books issued works of historical and biographical significance, and the
works
of contemporary authors, as well as establishing itself as the leading antiquarian
book dealer on the Pacific coast. In addition to her professional role within
the
company, Zaiser became an accomplished book collector in her own right. As a book
collector Zaiser procured every book published by John Howell Books, while as
Secretary-Treasurer of the firm she collected and maintained the extensive company
records which make up the bulk of this collection.

Sally Zaiser's work at John Howell Books helped her make many contacts in the world
of book collecting, which proved beneficial in her efforts to acquire materials.
She
assembled a world-class personal collection in the largely male-dominated world
of
book collecting. Over the course of her career, she compiled a comprehensive
collection of the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Paul Horgan, including
every
work he published, and extensive manuscripts and notes. This collection was acquired
by the DeGolyer Library at Southern Methodist University in 1990, and was featured
in a major exhibition in 1991, The Collector's Eye:
Selections from the Sally Zaiser Collection of Paul Horgan. Zaiser also
authored a short monograph on Horgan: Paul Horgan, Author,
Artist, Bookman, published in 1995.

Although Sally Zaiser assembled this collection, many of the materials present evoke
the memory of Warren Howell. Warren was the figurehead of John Howell Books and
a
respected figure in the rare books community. He began working in the shop in
1932
and inherited the position of director from his father, John, in 1950. Warren
died
in 1984, and Zaiser served as a director of the company until the business closed
shortly thereafter.

Farmer, David, and Paul Horgan. "The grace and passion of
a true bibliophile: Sally Zaiser, two tributes." San Francisco: The Press
in Tuscany Alley, 1995.

The Sally Zaiser Collection of John Howell Books, 1874-1986, documents the personal
and public life of the owners of John Howell Books. Included in the collection
are
personal items related to John and Warren Howell; correspondence to Sally Zaiser
about Warren Howell's illness and death; book awards, news clippings, and other
memorabilia pertinent to rare book collecting; unbound manuscripts and printer's
proofs; publishing announcements; and financial records. The collection consists
of
one series organized and listed under Zaiser's original descriptive headings:
'Book awards,'
'Announcements,'
'Christmas cards,'
'Items relating to John Gilson Howell,'
'Items relating to Warren Richardson Howell,'
'Miscellany,'
'Financial Statements,'
'Various clippings newspaper and magazines,' and
'Correspondence to Sally V. Zaiser.'

Materials within each of the headings are filed in the original order created by
Zaiser. Zaiser's original item level listing of the materials is available. The
bulk
of these materials involve printed materials from book conferences (found in 'Miscellany') and announcements and order forms (found
in 'Announcements'). When an obvious order is
present at the item level in the collection, it is chronological. Oversize items
(including a broadside in Aramaic and several large Christmas cards) have been
removed to a flat box.

Items of note include a set of unbound sheets from the John Howell Books edition
of
The Bible of the Revolution, a re-print of the
first known English-language Bible to be printed in America. Also present are
Christmas cards sent by Warren and Antoinette Howell to friends and customers,
containing high-quality reproductions of various works of art, said to be treasured
by recipients. Another noteworthy item is a typed narrative detailing Warren
Howell's involvement in the purchase and sale of rare books later found to be
stolen
from the Crerar Library in Chicago, Illinois, and his cooperation in the subsequent
F.B.I. investigation of the matter.

A number of photographs were removed from this collection in 2006 and processed at
the Ransom Center under the title "John Howell Books,
Literary File, Photography Collection." Among those removed are
photographs of a ceremony to honor Warren Howell's career. This event is mentioned
frequently in correspondence between Sally Zaiser and Decherd Turner, former Ransom
Center director and a speaker at the event. Following Warren's death, Zaiser was
involved in the dispensation of this collection to the Harry Ransom Center, while
most of the shop's business records, correspondence, and published books are now
housed at the Stanford University Archives. Correspondence to Stanford about the
acquisition of these items is also present in this collection.

Languages present in the collection, other than English, include several letters
in
French from Helen Howell Parnell, a broadside in Aramaic, and a catalog in Japanese
and English from the Fifth International Antiquarian Book Fair in Tokyo. The
materials in this collection are generally in good to excellent condition.

Most of the shop's business records, correspondence, and published books are now
housed at the Stanford University Archives.

A number of photographs were removed from this collection in 2006 and processed at
the Ransom Center under the title "John Howell Books,
Literary File, Photography Collection." Among those removed are
photographs of a ceremony to honor Warren Howell's career.